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POUGHKEEPSIE – Funding through the Dutchess County Partnership
for Manageable Growth is going to help permanently protect two farms in
Dutchess County. The Brookby Farm in the Town of Dover and the Destined
Wind Farm in the Town of Amenia will receive a total of $651,781 to preserve
agriculture.
“Agriculture is a vital, diverse and growing economic engine in
Dutchess County, and our Partnership for Manageable Growth Program allows
us to strategically preserve farming as an industry,” said County
Executive Marcus Molinaro.
Both farms are family operated.
Brookby Farm is a 49-acre property that is home to a 200-year-old, seventh-generation
dairy farm. It is licensed to sell raw milk and includes a farm store
where eggs, chicken, beef and pork raised on the farm are sold, as well
as products from other area farms including honey, maple syrup and locally
roasted coffee.
The farm also leases another 750 acres and altogether, the farm yields
600 round bales of hay, 6,000 square bales of hay, 300 tons of corn silage,
and produced 450,000 pounds of milk last year.
The total estimated cost of the acquisition of a conservation easement
at Brookby Farm is $266,792. The county’s funding will provide 50
percent of the cost, $133,792, and the Dutchess Land Conservancy is working
with partners to secure the remaining 50 percent.
Destined Wind Farm is a 232.5-acre, dairy farm that includes an active
100-plus cow dairy, 75 acres for hay production, 53 acres for corn production
and 23 acres for pasture.
The farm produces over one million pounds of milk each year, and sells
to Marcus Dairy. The farm also yields about 600 tons of haylage, 800 tons
of corn silage, and 150 to 200 round bales each year, which is used to
support the farm.
The total estimated cost of conservation easement is $1,727,950 with the
county funding 30 percent, at $518,385. The Dutchess Land Trust will seek
funding for the remaining 70 percent, or $1,209,565, from the state Department
of Agriculture.
